Thread: Ford 4 cyl.

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I am not a Ford fan. That said I have a 8N ford tractor 1949 era. front distributor. two weeks ago while I was cutting grass it quit. It just slowed down and died. I knew the carb was bad and needed rebuild. So I rebuilt the carb cleaned all the filters and changed the plugs. NO go. Changed points ,cap, rotor, codensor, no start. Ran comp.test 110 all 4. Found a 'N' forum after being "disted" for not know what was wrong with my tractor and a bit of nail biting on my part one guy answered one of my questions. That seemed to break the ice. Lots of tips..the main one and the culpriet of all "Do you have good spark" Well the plugs gap at .025 lots of spark??? He asked will it jump a 1/4" gap. I opened a plug as far as it would go (not a 1/4") it worked. He sugested I get a spark tester,Now I've been working on cars 50+ years and never used one of these... I bought one. No it would not jump 1/4". When I did the yearly tune up in the spring I changed fron 6volt to 12 volt and changed the coil. I figured the coil should be good...NOPE.. bought a new coil and I pulled off #4 plug wire and put the spark tester on the lead. Hit the start button to see if it would jump the gap and it not only jumped the 1/4" gap but the engine started runing on 3 cylinders. Guess your never to old to learn. OH yeah I cut grass this afternoon.

I'm glad you got it solved. Funny how the simplest thing we overlook and it bites you in the b_ tt..

FWIW Charlie, my late father in law had one about the same year as yours in the 70's. The clutch went out so we went to the local tractor supply for a new one. They wanted something like $80 for a pressure plate, clutch disk, and throw out bearing. We left and went to the local parts store and bought a heavy duty unit for a 48 1/2 ton for about half the money.

I have changed one piston in this one about 6 or 8 years ago, the wrist pin boss broke out of one. Realy can't complain about the service I've gotten from it.

I just saw a 'ratty' one today alongside the road - For Sale, $1300. I wanted one in the worst way 15-18 years or so ago when I owned a home in the boonies with a 7 acre yard and 900 foot driveway. Got a little ISEKI diesel which is still being used instead. Those little 8N Ford tractors still keep on chuggin' and probably will for another 100 years

Champion H-10 spark plugs-----------
They were what I actually learned to drive--had some 2 inch planks on the running boards and had to stand up to turn it at end of field---some guys put in a trans thingie that gave more gears instaed of just the four--------

should have seen me cut grass with it the first time...I had no idea the bushhog would push that tractor. You can't stop and turn .Darn near went out on the hwy. I found out very soon you need an overrunning clutch on the pto. A guy could get hurt bad on one of them not knowing

I still have the valve spring tool, guide pry bar and 2 little wrenches for setting the valves---probably somewhere hare tools for the tomatoe can sleeves!!!!!!

I can relate to that!
I've got tools in my shed that were my Grand-dad's.
He died in 1957.
These are tools he would have been using in the mid 1900s...sort of from 1905 onwards.
They mean nothing to anyone else; but they mean a lot to me.

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